Waiting lists are the highest ever recorded, 7.5m as of April 2024, and burnout for healthcare professionals is constantly on the rise. The historic strategy to address this has been to add more staff.
The NHS’ challenges are complex and it has long relied on its dedicated nurses and staff, but increasing their numbers alone (even if this were possible) won’t solve its deep-rooted problems.
The lack of efficiency and failure of some NHS systems should be addressed in conjunction with efforts to increase staffing levels
The lack of efficiency and failure of some NHS systems should be addressed in conjunction with efforts to increase staffing levels. Improving efficiency isn’t just about speed; it’s about ensuring resources are working collaboratively and providing the data that clinical teams need to manage care flow.
Why more staff does not equal efficiency
Of course, being understaffed can impact efficiency and add to nurses’ stress. But just throwing more people at a problem without a strategy for their integration can harm efficiency, not help it. If tasks aren’t
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